Aria’s POV

The next day, Amelia and I set off from the hotel to start our investigation. The GPS led us deep into a narrow alley, where the scent of damp concrete and old wood clung heavily to the air. My wolf stirred uneasily as Amelia and I stopped in front of a modest, aging house.

"This should be Tyler’s place," I murmured.

I knocked.

"Hello? Is this Tyler’s house?"

There was no response.

Amelia tried next, knocking louder. Silence answered us again, it was too hollow. My wolf tilted her head, uneasy. A lived-in house always carried traces of its owners. This one felt... abandoned.

Amelia frowned. "Something’s wrong."

Before I could reply, I knocked again, harder this time.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

"Excuse me..."

The door beside us flew open.

"Will you ever stop?!" an irritated voice snapped.

A middle-aged woman with messy, yellowed curls glared at us like we’d personally ruined her life. Her scent was sharp with annoyance and sleep deprivation.

"What do you girls want? Can’t people get any rest?"

Amelia immediately stepped forward, her tone apologetic and smooth. "We’re so sorry. We’re looking for someone, but no one’s answering. We didn’t mean to make so much noise."

As she spoke, she slipped some cash into the woman’s hand.

The woman froze.

I watched the change ripple through her scent, her earlier irritation melting into interest.

"Oh," she coughed lightly. "You should’ve said so earlier."

She leaned against the doorframe and glanced at Tyler’s house. "You’re too late. They moved out a while ago. A luxury car came and picked them up right here."

My wolf growled low in my chest.

"When?" I asked quickly.

"About a week ago, maybe." She rubbed her chin. "But it was strange. They didn’t take much. My son said it was a really expensive car, but they didn’t look happy at all. They were all gloomy, like they were being chased."

Amelia and I exchanged a glance.

"Did they leave Duckspire?" Amelia asked.

The woman shook her head confidently. "No they didn’t. Tyler’s kid still goes to school here. I saw him just a couple days ago."

Hope flared instantly within me.

"Do you know which school?" I asked. "Or when he gets out?"

"School?, I have no idea. But that kid’s had it rough. Tyler’s wife had a premature birth. The boy’s always sickly, but smart. His name is Jackson. I usually see him come home around five or six."

"Thank you," I said sincerely.

As we turned to leave, the woman grabbed our sleeves. "I can really keep this?" She winked, tapping the money in her apron.

"Yes," Amelia replied lightly. "And if we come back with more questions, we hope you’ll help us again."

"Of course!" she said eagerly.

Once we rounded the corner, Amelia exhaled sharply. "The entire family moved away... but left one kid behind?"

My wolf bared her teeth in silent fury.

"Patrick is more ruthless than I thought," I said coldly. No wonder he was so confident I’d never expose him.

"What now?" Amelia asked. "Find the kid?"

"Not yet," I replied. "We wait until after school. He’ll come home."

Amelia nodded. "Then let’s go to the hospital first."